Mechanically-operated toy



Jan. 29, 1929.

. 1,700,232 D. H. MARX MECHANICALLY OPERATED TOY Filed Feb. 20, 1926 INVENTOR Davld Herberf Marx ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 29, 1929. v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

V MECHANICALLY-OPERATED TOY.

Application filed February This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to mechanically operated toys; and has special reference to the provision of a mechanically operated toy in which a plurality of toy figures are operated to simulate a race.

A. principal object of my present invention comprehends the provision of a mechanical ly operated toy embodying a simulated land moving toy figure such as a vehicle and a simulated aeronautic toy figure such as an aeroplane connected to motor means for operating the same in circular tracks or orbits for re n'esenting or simulating a race between the vehicle, which may be in the form of a locomotive train and the aeroplane figure.

A further principal object ofmy present in vention Comprehends the provision ofa racer toy of the character referred to in which the land moving toy vehicle and the air navigating toy figure are connected to a motor means in a manner to permit facile operation of the moving figures or vehicles to impart to the same interestin g life-like action and to permit the toy to be readily manufacturable at a low cost of production. o

A further principal object of my invention includes the provision of a toy for simulating a race between a land moving vehicle and an aeronautic figure embodyinga construction in which the aeronautic figure may be connected at will by the operative or child to the motor which operates the vehicles so that the aeronautic figure may be used as a toy independently of the motor and so that the motor may be employed at will solely for the land moving figure or vehicle or for the same in combination with the aeronautic figure, a toy being thus provided which may be readily converted by the child for producing a number of different actions. e

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter a; pear, my invention consists in the elements and their relation one tothe other, as hereinafter more particularly defined and sought to be defined in the claims; reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which: I e

1 is a perspective view of the-toy embodying the principles of my present invention and Fig, 2 is a View thereof taken in cross-section in'the plane of the line 2-2, Fig. 1. c Referring now more in detail to the draw- 20, 1926. Serial No. 89,574.

ings the mechanically operated toy of my in-, vention comprises a support generally designated as A for operatively supporting a simu lated land moving toy figure B and a simulated aeronautic toy figure G both connected her for ognzration by a motor generally esignated as I) mounted on the support A, the la nd moving and aeronautic toy figures being operated by theme-tor in circular tracks or orbits for representing a race between the same; The support A in its preferred construction comprises a disk plat-form 10 made of sheet metal and an annulus or ring-shaped member 11 spaced from the platform by an annular space 12 which defines acircular track, the ring-shaped member 11 being suitably formed from sheet metal to provide a portion 11' lying in the plane of the platform 10 and a skirt portion 11 serving a support for the toy, the said ring-shaped portion 11 being connected to the platform 10 by means of the spacedlarch-shaped nernbersl 13 (three in number) also suitably fashioned from sheet metal, v 7 3 I The land moving toy figure B in the preferred construction comprises a simulated or toy locomotive train having a locomotive portion 14 and a train of cars 15 all fashioned out of sheet metal and fixed to an arc'uate-sha ied truck portion 16' arranged for travel on the circular track 12 and about the platform 10, the wheels of said truck being supported on the platform 10 and annulus 1l,'as clearly shown in the drawings. The vehicle B is connected to the .paltform support to prevent removal thereof'by means of a lock pin 17 (Fig. 2) fixed to the vehicle and having a flange or washer 18 at the lower end thereof enacting with stop members formed by the downtnrned portions 19, 19 of the platform support. 7 I

For operating the land moving vehicle B to cause thesame to travel in its circular track, it provide the motor mechanism D heretofore referred to which comprisesavertically arranged drive shaft 20 journalled in a rectangular bracket 2lmounted centrally on the platform 10, the said drive shaft being connected to the vehicle B by means of a connecting rod 22 underlying the platform 10 and connecting the drive shaft 20 with an upstanding stud 23 projecting through the locomotive 14 and preferably designed so asto simulate the smoke stack for the locomotive; and in the preferred construction the drive shaft connecting rod and upstanding stud are fashioned from a single rod bent into the de sired configuration, as clearly shown in the drawings.

For driving the shaft there is provided the motor mechanism which comprises a spring motor proper 24 suitably anchored to the rectangular bracket 21 and to a winding key 25, which winding key carries at its lower end a resilient pawl member 26 cooperating with a ratchet disk 27, which ratchet disk is provided with peripheral teeth forming a gear meshing'with a pinion 28 fixed to the drive shaft 20. The ratchet disk-gear 27 is loosely mounted on the winding key shaft 25, the construction being such that when the key 25 is rotated in one direction, the motor 24 may be energized, the pawl member 26 moving relatively to the ratchet disk 27, andwhen the motor is energized, the pawl meniher will be locked to the sprocket-gear 27 to rotate the same and impart motion to the drive shaft 20 for moving the vehicle B. Preferably means is provided for governing the operation of the motor, said means consisting in an escapement wheel 29 fixed to a spindle 30 and controlled by escapement element 31, a pinion 32 being fixed to the spindie 30, which pinion meshes with a gear 33 fixed to the drive shaft 20. All of the parts of the motor mechanism may be suitably fashioned out of sheet material as is well known to those skilled. in the art. Preferably the motor mechanism is housed or enclosed by a casing or housing 34 made of sheet metal fashioned to simulate a railroad station, which housing is suitably aflixed to the platform 10.

As heretofore stated, a principal object of the invention relates to the provision of a racer toy in which the land moving toy vehicle is combined with an air navigating toy figure, both connected to a motor means in a manner to simulate a race between the land moving and aeronaut-ic vehicles. To accomplish this object, I provide the aeronautic toy C heretofore referred to which is connected to the motor D for operation thereby, the said aeronautic toy comprising in the-preferred embodiment of the invention an aeroplane arranged above the platform 10 for movement in a circular orbit over the track 12, said aeroplane being suitably fashioned out of sheet metal to provide the body 35, the Wings 36 and a rotatable propeller 37. The aeroplane is preferably driven at the same speed as the locomotive train B, and to this end the aeroplane figure is connected to the vertically arranged drive shaft by means comprising a connecting rod 38 fixed to the plane and having a downwardly bent portion 39 which is received by a sleeve 40 projecting upwardly from the motor casing 34, which sleeve is fixed to the drive shaft 20.

To provide a toy-which may be readily converted by the child for producing a number of different actions heretofore referred to, and more particularly to provide a toy in which the aeronautic toy figure and the land moving toy figure may be operated by the child independently of each other as well as in combination, the aeroplane C and its connecting means are made so that they may be detachably mounted to the motor mechanism D at the will of the child in a very simple fashion, this being accomplished by detachably inter-relating the sleeve 40 and the depending portion 39 of the aeroplane connecting means 38, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The sleeve 40 may be shaped to provide a stop wall 41 which engages the connecting rod 38 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing to fix the connecting rod against rotation on thesleeve. With this construction, it will be readily apparent that the land moving vehicle 13 and aeronautic figure C may be operated separately or in combination, as desired. Thus the aeroplane C may be readily detached from the sleeve 40 by lifting the same therefrom, and the said aeroplane may then be used as a separate toy and may be rotated or twirled between the. fingers by employing the depending portion 39 as a finger grasp, said portion being rotatable by being grasped between the thumb and index fingers. Also by detaching the aeroplane figure, the land moving vehicle B may be operated as a separate toy. Furthermore, the aeroplane may be readily mounted on the sleeve 40 by merely inserting the depending portion 39in said sleeve, and the aeronautic figure may then be operated in time with the land moving vehicle to simulate a race between the two. Thus the toy may be readily converted by the child for producing a number of interesting actions.

If desired, other members may be operated during the rotation of the vehicles, and to this end I have provided a number of figures such as an animal 42, a human figure 43, and a. signal 44 each provided with a movable part operated during the operation of the motor. The animal is provided with a pivoted head 45 having an operating rod 46 which is slidable in the platform 10 and which is adapted to be engaged by an arcuate-shaped cam element 47 fixed to the connecting rod 22. Similarly the figure 43 is provided with a movable part- 48 having a connecting rod 49 also slidable in the platform and adapted to be similarly engaged by the arcuate cam 47. The signal figure 44 is provided with a semaphore plate 50 connected to the slide rod 51, the lower end of which is also adapted to be engaged by and during the rotation of.

the arcuate cam 47 It will be evident that during the operation of the motor the cam is rotated and each of the figures 42, 43 and 44 is operated.

The use and operation of my improved toy and the advantages thereof will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. F or operating the toy to simulate a race, the aeroplane figure C is inserted in position in the sleeve l0 and is thus connected to the motor, and when the motor mechanism is wound by the key 25, the vehicle B and the aeronautic figure C will be rotated in circular tracks or orbits in interesting representation of a race. The aeronautic figure C may be employed as a separate toy and may be operated by twirling the same between the fingers as described, and the locomotive train may also be independently or separately operated by the child to suit his fancies. The parts are all designed so as to be capable of being manufactured of sheet metal at low cost, and are further designed so as to permit the same to be packaged in relatively small confines. Thus for packaging purposes the aeroplane figure O, and if desired the attaching sleeve 40, are detached from the motor mechanism, the parts being readily assemblable by a child. The parts are moreover designed so that toys of prior manufacture may be readily modified by simple changes to convert the same to a racer toy of the character described, thus permitting the employment of the same dies for producing toys of different character. Other advantages of the construction will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

While I have shown and described my invention in its preferred form, it will be apparent that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed with out departing from the spirit of the invention, defined inthe following claims.

I claim:

1. A mechanically operated toy comprising a platform having a. circular track, a land moving toy figure arranged to travel in said circular track, a motor arranged centrally of said track. means connecting said motor with said land moving figure for causing the figure to move in said track and about said platform when the motor is in an energized state, an aeronautic toy figure arranged above said platform and above said land moving toy figure for movement in a circular orbit over said track and means connecting said aeronautic figure with said motor for moving the same in its orbit in time with the movement of the land moving figure for simulating a race between the land and aeronautic toy figures.

2. A mechanically operated toy comprising a platform having a circular track, a land moving toy figure arranged to travel in said circular track, a motor arranged centrally of said track, means connecting said motor with said land moving figure for causing the figure to move in said track and about said platform when the motor is in an energized state, said connecting means extending radial- 1y underneath the platform from the motor moving figure for simulating a race between the land and aeronautietoy figures.

A mechanically operated toy representing a race between a land moving toy figure and an aeronautic toy figure comprising a platform having a circular track, a land moving toy figure arranged to travel in said circular track, a motor on said platform arranged centrally of said track, said motor having a vertically arranged drive shaft, a radial rod underlying the platform connecting the said driveshaft and land moving figure, an aeronautie toy figure arranged above said platform and above said land moving toy figure for movement in a circular orbit over saidtrack and a secondradial arm overlying s'aid platform connecting the vertical drive shaft with the aeronautio figure for moving the same in its orbit in time with the movement of the land moving figure for simulating a race between the land and aeronautic toy figures.

4. A mechanically operated toy comprising a platform having a circular track, a land moving toy figure arranged to travel in said circular track, a motor arranged centrally of said track, means connecting said motor with said land moving figure for causing the figure to move in said track and about said platform when the motor is in an energized state, an aeronautic toy figure arranged above said platform and above said land moving toy figure for movement in a circular orbit over said track and means connecting said aeronautic figure with said motor for moving the same in its orbit in time with the movement of the land moving figure for simulating a race between the land and aeronautic toy figures, the said connecting means for the aeronautic figure being detachably receivable by said motor whereby the motor may be employed at Will solely for the land moving figure or for the same in combination with the aeronautical figure.

5. A mechanically operated toy representing a race between a land moving toy figure and an aeronautic toy figure comprising a platform having a circular track, a land moving toy figure arranged to travel in said circular track, a motor on said platform arranged centrally of said track, said motor having a vertically arranged drive shaft, a connecting means'underlying the platform connecting the said drive shaft and land moving figure, an aeronautic toy figure arranged above said platform and above said land moving toy figure for movement in a circular orbit over said track and a second connecting means overlying said platform connecting thevertical driveshaft With the aeronautic figure for moving the same in its orbit in time With the movement of the land moving figure for simulating a race between the land and aeronautic toy figures, the said connecting means for the aeronautic figure being detachably receivable by said vertically arranged drive shaft whereby the motor maybe employed at- Will solely for the land moving figure or for the same in combination with the aeronautic figure.

6, A mechanically operated toy comprising a circular platform, an annulus spaced from the platform and defining a circular track, arch members connecting the plat- -form With the annulus, a land moving my figure arranged to travel in said track, a motor arranged centrally on said platform, a housing for said motor, means connecting said motor with said land moving figure for; causing the figure to move in said track and about the platform when the motor is in an energized state and a member connected to said motor and projecting upwardly from said housing for detachably receiving an aeronautic toy figure.

7. A mechanically operated toy comprising a circular platform, an annulus spaced from the platform and defining a circular track, arch members connecting the platform With the annulus, a land moving toy figure arranged to travel in saidv track, a, motor arranged centrally on said platform, a housing for said motor, means connecting said motor With said land moving figure for cans.- ing the figure to, move in said. track and about the platform When the motor. is in an energized state, a member connected to said motor and projecting upwardly from said hous: ing for detachably receiving an aeronautic toy figure, an aeronautic toy figure and a supporting means therefor detachably receivable by said upwardly projecting memher.

Signed at New York city, inthe county of New York and State of New York, this 17th day of February, A, D. 1926.

DAVID HERBERT MARX. 

